


Prison Story

by IceboundEmu



Category: LoveLink (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, The Prison meet up that no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:21:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceboundEmu/pseuds/IceboundEmu
Summary: Austin, still locked up and waiting for release, meets a kindred spirit in the form of one Skylar Quinn, also accused of a crime he didn't commit.
Relationships: none yet
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FireBirdie94](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=FireBirdie94).



> This is what I get for talking ideas with FireBirdie94, who gives me a line and sits back to watch as a plot bunny attacks me.
> 
> I'd swear vengeance, but by now I have to accept I actually quite enjoy this.
> 
> Given how hard this first section was to write this may be slow to update, but please enjoy this small instalment.

“Wake up Russo. You’ve got a new cellmate”

Jarred from sleep Austin snarled at the prison guard standing in the doorway to his cell, refusing to be intimidated by the nightstick the guard waved his face to convince him to stay back. His removal from death row was something of a mixed blessing, he no longer had to worry about the threat of imminent execution, but it also meant he lost his right to private accommodation. Hopefully, the prison authorities screened them to make sure his new cellmate wasn’t part of Bennie’s Gang, otherwise he’d find himself straight back on death row.

The guard sneered at him, and Austin was seized by an almost irresistible impulse to punch the expression off his face. He fought it, reminding himself his lawyer had been adamant he had to control his temper if he wanted the best chance of an early release, the hearing was in the next few days at which point he’d have to prove to a bunch of holier than thou magistrates he was repentant for his behaviour back in his gang days if he wanted them to let him back into the real world. Not that he’d particularly deserved the last seven years he’d spent in this hellhole with a proverbial noose around his neck from the authorities, and a target painted on his back for all the inmates who wanted to stick a shiv in him.

All thanks to Bennie’s lie and machinations.

He felt something twist in his stomach at the thought of his half-brother, who’d fitted him up for their Pop’s murder. Then, when the DNA evidence had finally placed his finger on the trigger and he’d been arrested, had taken the coward’s way out and hanged himself in his cell, to escape justice. By the time anyone had realised it was far too late and Austin felt cheated that he wouldn’t get to watch the bastard fry. His lawyer had said something about Bennie’s “accidental death” in custody being added to the compensation he’d receive for being incorrectly tried and convicted on flawed evidence. By that point he hadn’t really been listening anymore, hoping that Bennie was enjoying an eternity in hell.

The story when broken had hit the papers and caused a social media storm, painting a romanticised view of his story dreamed up in some media boardroom and portraying a person so different from himself that he barely recognised it when he read it. Protests had taken place in the streets at his “heavy handed” treatment by police and the criminal justice system, armchair legal experts questioned the police’s actions and the decision to prosecute with the lack of physical evidence, his conviction based on circumstantial evidence and the perjured testimony of Bennie’s cronies.

There were the same people who seven years ago would have convicted him themselves based on media coverage at the time. The same people that if he ever got out onto the street would pass him without a second glance.

“You. Get in there now!”

The guard physically pushed his new room mate in, perhaps with an excessive amount of force considering the action propelled the man across the small space where he hit the bunks with such a force the Austin found himself wincing in sympathy. From the sound of the impact, that was going to leave a hell of a bruise. Job accomplished the guard slammed the door shut again, and Austin was left alone with his new companion.

“So, who are you and what are you in for?”

Austin figured he should probably make some attempt at conversation since they’d be stuck in this hellhole together for the foreseeable future, or at least until another free space opened in the isolation block. The man’s, no, boy’s, his mind corrected, snapped up at the question and Austin found himself staring into frightened blue-grey eyes.

“My name is Skylar Quinn, and I didn’t do anything!!!”

**_Join the club_** …Austin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the same protest that he’d repeated himself countless times to the deaf and uncomprehending ears of police, lawyers and the whole damn criminal justice system.

“Okay then. What did they say you did?”

“They said I set fire to the engineering block of my college and a student died as a result.”

This kid was officially screwed. Austin let out a low whistle, watching as Skylar welled up as the realisation of his situation began to dawn on him.

“They’ll realise they got the wrong person, right?”

Skylar’s question made him sound every bit as young and naïve as Austin guessed he was.

“Took them seven years and an outside influence to realise they got the wrong person when they convicted me of killing my Pop and put me on death row. I wouldn’t hold your breath kid.”

Sometimes Austin really wished his attackers had succeeded in their prior attempt to cut his tongue out; he could have bitten it off himself as he registered what he’d just said.

Five minutes in and he’d already succeeded in making his new cell mate cry.

Fucking fantastic, this day just kept getting better and better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An update!
> 
> In which Austin attempts not to smother Skylar and to convince his Lawyer to contact the MC

Austin had spent a lot of time thinking about Skylar’s situation. It had started on the second night of his incarceration, when he’d lain awake, listening to the kid cry himself to sleep, wishing he could offer some form of comfort but terrified he’d only say something to make it worse. By the fifth night he’d long since stopped worrying, convinced he’d go mad and smother Skylar with a pillow if he didn’t get some uninterrupted sleep. 

Gritting his teeth, he swung down from the top bunk, scaring the life out of Skylar who’d obviously not realised how loud he’d been being.

“Listen kid…”

“Skylar. My name isn’t kid. It’s Skylar, Skylar Arthur Quinn.”

“Okay SKYLAR, I’m Austin Russo, are you going to tell me what’s eating you?”

The kid, Skylar he corrected himself, frowned at the question.

“I’m in prison for something I didn’t do. Wouldn’t you be upset?”

Austin wondered whether Skylar had the memory span of a goldfish. He was sure his first line to introduce himself had been a sarcastic observation of his own experiences. At the time though Skylar had already been upset, maybe he hadn’t taken it in. Trying to think fluffy thoughts so he didn’t snap back and upset Skylar further Austin figured since he only really had himself to talk about, stories from his past were the only thing he could offer.

“Pretty sure that was my life for the last seven years. But then I’ve been in and out since I was old enough to be tried in court. This your first time getting caught?”

Skylar nodded miserably, picking at the prison issued blanket he was lying on. Sensing that no conversation would be forthcoming from his cellmate, Austin continued to talk.

“I was a proper pain in the ass. Escaped Juvie once by holding some paramedics hostage with their own defibrillators.”

Skylar laughed at that, though whether it was from amusement or shocked disbelief Austin wasn’t sure. He counted it as a victory that he’d managed to raise a smile.

“What happened then?”

“Ran back home, found the police waiting for me, who took me straight back.”

Skylar’s initial laughter had turned into giggles, and apparently once he started it was difficult to make him stop, though that could have been a symptom of sleep deprivation on Skylar’s part.

“Russo! What are you doing up after lights out?”

They both jumped as one of the night watch came past the cell, smacking his nightstick against the bars of the cell, which probably woke everyone else in the block. Rolling his eyes at the guard’s theatrics Austin climbed back up to his bed, not wanting to give the guard a reason to come into the cell.

“I need to use your phone.”

Austin’s words cut his lawyer off mid-stream; he’d been droning on about some sort of delay in the appeals paperwork that meant Austin was looking at another six to twelve-month delay before his release hearing. By this point Austin was surprised if a visit from his lawyer didn’t signal some sort of problem, the guy was clearly out of his depth, he’d only been assigned initially to keep Austin quiet until his execution, having to deal with the realisation that his client was innocent had probably been a hell of shock to him. Given the age of the guy Austin was probably one last case before he retired and went to spend time with the Grandkids, he went on so often about.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to have contact with the outside world.”

The man eyed the door warily, as though he expected the guards who had delivered Austin to the meeting to come bursting through at any moment should he hand his phone across. If he didn’t think it would probably cause him to have a stroke Austin would have pointed out that the guards usually took the chance to bunk off for a cigarette during “low-risk” prisoner visits. If he’d lunged across the table and choked the man to death for his mobile it was unlikely they’d get back in time to stop him.

“I thought the idea of being convicted of a crime I didn’t commit was something I’d only see on television. Guess I was wrong about that too.”

The guy had the decency to flinch, Austin gave him that. Still, his expression indicated that no phone would be forthcoming. Swallowing the flare of anger that the realisation invoked Austin reminded himself he needed to keep this guy on side, losing his temper would accomplish nothing.

“Fine, I need you to get a message to someone I need to come visit me. They’re a friend. They helped me a lot and I need them to help someone else.”

He still didn’t look sold on the idea. Probably thought Austin was referring to a former contact from his gang days. Some further explanation was probably needed.

“They gathered the evidence that proved it was Bennie who pulled the trigger, not me. They saved my life; I need them to save someone else.”

His lawyer pushed a notepad over and offered him a pen. Frowning with concentration Austin began to write down his login details for Lovelink.


End file.
